The UN's Call to Combat Plastic Pollution Worldwide

Fortunately, alternatives do exist, and the technology to combat this crisis is available and ready. What we need now is transformative change on a larger scale.

Working towards this is the United Nation (UN)’s #BeatPlasticPollution campaign, promoting four key actions: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Reorient or diversify.

In September, the UN hosted the SEA of Solutions (SoS) event in Bangkok, Thailand. Organized by SEA circular, an initiative between UN Environment Programme and the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), this event brought together decision-makers, businesses, and NGOs from around the world to discuss strategies for redesigning a circular plastics economy.

The event included two full days of discussions, presentations, and collaborative sessions and proved to be a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas and progress of reduce, reuse, recycle and reorient initiatives from a variety of sectors.

Cross-sectoral collaboration was one of the major themes, with calls for businesses, policymakers, and environmental groups to work together to support this transition.

"Collaboration across diverse sectors is essential to beating plastic pollution. By uniting efforts, we can bring innovative solutions to the forefront and drive meaningful change for our planet and our future."  Kamala Ernest, SEA circular project Coordinator, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The event underscored the urgency of not only improving product design but also drastically reducing plastic use altogether. Hence, some interesting sessions featured biodegradable alternatives as a potential solution to reducing plastic waste at the source. The use of alternative materials for industries that are prone to high pollution, such as hygiene products, would be a vital step forward.

One session presented a sustainable alternative to synthetic fibers used in different nonwoven applications, such as diapers, hygienic pads, or wipes. Norma Schönherr, Manager of Partnerships for Sustainability at Lenzing AG, Nonwovens showcased how VEOCEL™’s sustainable, wood-based[1] fibers present a practical solution to reducing reliance on synthetic, plastic-based materials prevalent in wipes and personal products. VEOCEL™’s cellulosic fibers are an example of fibers that are not classified as plastic under the EU's Single-Use Plastics Directive[2] and studies undertaken show the fibers fully biodegrade in under 30 days, while petroleum-based fibers showed minimal decomposition even after 200 days[3].

“The transition is ‘in our hands’ – alternatives are available, we as consumers can make responsible choices by reusing and recycling, and actively looking for products that don’t contain plastic, said Krishna Manda, Vice President Corporate Sustainability at Lenzing.

“By making informed choices, we can significantly reduce plastic waste and address the escalating plastic pollution crisis in the world.”

#ItsInOurHands to #BeatPlasticPollution:

To achieve this, industries and individuals need to reorient the way we produce and consume. Together, we can make better choices for our environment, our wildlife, our health, and the overall future of our planet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kET-l4DbohQ

“How can we #beatplasticpollution?”

[1] Adhering to the company’s commitment to environmental protection and resource preservation, Lenzing procures wood and pulp only from certified or controlled sustainable sources. In its Wood and Pulp Policy, Lenzing is committed to procuring wood and pulp exclusively from non-controversial sources.

[2] Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/904/oj

[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969721031314